A video on Instagram and TikTok ideally lasts between 21 and 34 seconds. This gives you very little time to engage users and get them to watch your video.
Here are our tips for boosting audience engagement!
Video subject:
If you develop more than one idea, you’ll lose impact and confuse your audience about the message you want to convey.
Prepare the video in advance, writing down your idea on a piece of paper, the keywords… you don’t have to write a script, this isn’t Hollywood either
Video length:
As stated earlier, the videos that generate the most engagement last between 21 and 34 seconds on these platforms. Although you can go up to 60 seconds on Instagram and 10 minutes on TikTok. You can use all that extra time, but unfortunately everything is consumed quickly on these platforms, so the longer your video lasts, the lower your stats will be and the less likely it is to be pushed by the algorithm.
What’s the best social platform for video content?
The hook:
The viewer will decide in a fraction of a second whether or not to watch your video. If they don’t know where you’re going or what you’re talking about, they’ll keep scrolling. That’s why it’s vital to show and explain the subject of your video in the first few seconds.
Also remember to create a thumbnail for your video, with a title large enough so that when someone visits your profile on their phone, they’ll be able to understand what you’re talking about without having to launch the video.
The quality:
Using a smartphone is more than enough. However, it’s important to shoot the video in a well-lit location so you don’t have to squint. Sound is also very important: if you shoot far from your subject, the sound of his or her voice can be disappointing. To counteract this, you can use free editing software.
Here are a few ways to improve the sound of your video:
- Increase the volume of the audio track,
- Double the original voice by moving closer to the microphone, once the scene has been shot,
- Condsider using a mini microphone,
- Or use Adobe Podcast, which significantly improves sound quality.
Subtitles:
Ideally, people should be able to follow your video without sound, which means you need to subtitle your videos. It doesn’t cost anything, and it adds tremendous value. What’s more, there are many tools available to help you do this in no time, but be sure to check them carefully, as automatically-generated subtitles often have errors.
Music:
Even if the audience doesn’t have sound, consider playing music at a much lower level than the speaker’s voice. Using trendy music will give you better SEO in addition to making your video more likable.
Dynamic editing:
Use transition effects, filters and camera movements to keep the video visually interesting. This will keep the viewer’s attention. Be careful not to overload your video with animations.
Hashtags:
Identify and use hashtags that are relevant to the subject of your video. This will help the platform to better identify the people likely to like your video at the time of its release. But also in the future, thanks to the search tab.
Other tips:
Don’t write a description that’s too long, as it could hinder visibility on TikTok, and few users will read it.
If you have the option of making a loop, i.e., the end of the video repeats the beginning, do so from time to time, as this will boost your statistics.
